What is Abstract Art?

Abstract art is a visual style that departs from depicting recognizable objects or scenes from the physical world, relying instead on shapes, colors, lines, and textures to achieve its effect. Emerging in the early 20th century through movements led by artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian, it shifts the focus from objective representation to subjective expression, emotion, and formal composition. By freeing the artwork from literal interpretation, abstract art encourages viewers to engage with the canvas on an intuitive level, finding personal meaning in the balance of form and color rather than identifying a specific subject.